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Probable atheist advertisements on London buses
by Scott Gilbreath ~ October 20th, 2008
The Telegraph is reporting that “atheist” advertisements will soon appear on London buses.
Buses emblazoned with adverts declaring “there’s probably no God” will soon be travelling through the streets of London after the prominent atheist Professor Richard Dawkins agreed to help pay for them.
Excuse me, but “there’s probably no God” is not an atheist statement. Atheism absolutely rejects the existence of God (or gods); there’s no “probably” about it. Dawkins’s views on religion are so strong and definite that I’m surprised he has given this fence-straddling advertising campaign his imprimatur.
The woman who started the campaign to raise funds for the “atheist” adverts adds this:
She said: “I’m very pleased so many people are behind the atheist bus.”
I feel sorry for anyone who’s “behind the atheist bus”, and religion has nothing to do with it. The exhaust can be nauseating.
UPDATE (23 Oct.): Christian think tank donates to atheist bus campaign
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October 20th, 2008 at 11:47 PM
Better to be behind the atheist bus than in front of it.
October 21st, 2008 at 07:22 AM
LOL!
October 21st, 2008 at 01:20 PM
Sorry, nope.
Atheism merely is the lack of belief in god(s). Some atheists do make the positive claim there are no gods, but most don’t.
October 21st, 2008 at 01:33 PM
Random House College Dictionary defines “atheism” as “the doctrine or belief that there is no God or gods (opposed to theism)”.
October 21st, 2008 at 03:38 PM
Oxford English Dictionary – atheism Disbelief in, or denial of, the existence of a god.
Webster’s 3rd New International Dictionary Unabridged – atheism n. 1 a: disbelief in the existence of God or any other deity b: the doctrine that there is neither god nor any other deity–compare AGNOSTICISM 2: godlessness esp. in conduct.
More here.
October 22nd, 2008 at 04:58 PM
Robert,
It seems to me you just made Scott’s point for him. Unless one says one disbelieves in the existence of God, but leaves open the possibility that He does exist, which is either self-contradictory or foolhardy. In any case, saying there probably is not God, or as Mr Dawkins says in his book, “there almost certainly is no god” may be a hopeful assertion, but it is not a true atheistic statement. It’s more like whistling past the graveyard.
October 23rd, 2008 at 09:22 AM
Haha, you idiot – you mock yourself… A Christian think tank has donated to the bus campaign.. at least some intelligent Christians recognise that debate is good.
October 23rd, 2008 at 09:45 AM
From Theos, the think tank that made the donation:
They donated because the pro-atheist campaign is so weak! Now who’s mocking whom?
There is, of course, nothing in what I said that denigrates debate. Like Theos, I merely pointed out the vacuousness of the campaign slogan.